Metal end structure for railway cars



Aug. 9,1927. 1,638,172

A. E. SMALL METAL END STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS Original Filed Oct. 19, 1922 5 Sheets-Shed' 1 N E N A L ven/lol' Aug. 9,1927. I A ESMALL l y1,638,172l

METAL END STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS Original Filed Oct. 19, 1922 5 SheetS-Sheet2 i575 y jfs-g3 7- S-9 /24 I "Izzi 24 18 19 2o nya; f5 -1-20 nvenor A. E. SMALL l METALA END STRUCTURE Foa RAILWAY .CARS

Original Filed Oct.

19, 1922 `s sheets-sheet 3 ffy-g. 21

Fig. 27 17395292960 Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE;

ARTIIUR E. SMALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

METAL END STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

Original application led October 19. 1922, Serial No. 595,634. Divided and this application led January Y 8, 19274. -Serial No. 158,595..

My invention relates to Lthe construction of railway'cars and more particularly to :metal end structures or walls Vfor railway cars made of one or more metallic plates or panels formed with integral reinforcing, vstiifenimg. and bracing einbossments or corrugations'l However. this device may be incorporated in the construction of car side walls, floors, roofs or doors used in connectionr with railway cars of Various types.

It` is well known that the end walls of railway cars are more likely to bebroken or otherwise injured than the side walls. This is due to theinertia thrusts and pressures caused by the shifting of the cargoes when the train starts or stops. These thrusts may be local, tending to distort the end in some particular spot. as. for example, when a piece of piping or lumber shifts lengthwise imparting a blow against the end wall of the car; or there may be a general tendency to 'break out the end wall as a whole or tear it awayfrom the framing. 4For the purpose, therefore, of greater strength and durability. car ends have been constructed-of metal plates corrugated or formed with ribs to impart the desired strength, rigidity an resiliency.

@ne of the principal objects of my in# vention is to provide a corrugated metallic end structure for railway cars in which the corrugations have a. configuration and arrangement that Vimpart to the structure a.

maximum 'capacity for resisting cargo thrusts, both local and general, static or quiescent, and with sutiicient resiliency to prevent lpermanent distortion due to the thrusts of the loads, with a minimum weight oi metal. It is important that structures of this sort should be as light as is possible,

consistent with strength and durability, both for reasons of economy iiinianuiacturing cost and also to keep the weight of thev car at a minimum. A.

A further object is Ato provide a corrugated metallic wall element that is practically possible to manufacture. A further object is to provide a metallic .wall element with corrugations that resist to a greater degree torsional stresses, as well as brace the element and theV car end against diagonal side thrusts or weaving.

Another object is to form a, metallic plate with integral corrugations or ribs which imof kthe plate on line 8 8 `of Fig.. 5.

vpart to it a certain amount of strength and rigidity -to resist loads imposed thereon and to so form the ends of the corrugations or box car F ig. 4 vis a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 5 is an enlarged front view of a. corrugated plate. Fig. 6 is a top edge view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig.'5. Fig. Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of 5. Fig. 10 is an enlarged section of a portion of the plate online 7 7 of Fig. 5.

8 is a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 5. f i

. Figfll is an enlarged section of a portion Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectionof'a por tion of theplate onv line 9 9 of Fig.- 5.

Fig. 13 is `an enlarged section of a portion of the plate showing a modified form on line 7 7 ofFig. 5.l` f y Fig. 14 is an enlarged section of a portion of the plateshowing a modified form on line 8 8 of Fig. 5..

Fig. 15 is an enlarged' sectionl of a portion of the plate showing a modified form on line 9 9 of Fig.V 5. Fig. 16 is a front .viewf'of a modiiied'form of plate. i

Fig. 17 is a top edge .View of Fig. 16. Fig. 18 isa section on line 18 18 of Fig. 16. Y v

Fig. 19` is a 'section on line l19 19 yof Fig. 16.- l.

Fig. 20 is a section on line 20 2O of Fig.

ksection on line `2.5 25 'of Fig. 28 is a section on line 28-28 of Fig. 26.

Like characters of reference designate like parts.

The end wall structure shown in the above figures comprises panel composed of a corrugated metal plate oi` plates.

Referring to Figs. l and 2. The corrugated plates 1, 2 and 3 extend across the car `fromv side to side and are formed with integral flanges l along the vertical edges which overlap and are secured tothe side walls 5 of the car by any suitable means.

The top edge of the upper plate is secured beneath the fascia boards 7 and the meeting edges ofthe plate overlap and are secured together by rows of rivets S and the lower edge of the lower plate is secured to the end sill 9. Nailing strips 10 are secured to the plat-es 1, 2V and 3 by bolts and lining 11 lis secured to the nailingstrips 10.

Figs. 3 and l show a modified form of the invention applied to a gondola type of car, wherein only one plate 12 is used to forni the end panel which extends from side 'to side of the car and is provided along the vertical edgesv with flanges 13 which overlap and are secured to the side walls 14 by any suitable means.v The top edge of the plate is secured to the top chord 15 by rivets 1G, while the lower edge is secured by rivets 17 'to the vend sill 18.

l/Vhile the corrugations arev shown pressed 'outwardly7 and in horizontal arrangement, it is 'understood that the :.orrugations'may be pressedinwardly, or partially inwardly 'and partially outwardly, from the original plane of the plate or the corrugations may be placed in any position; for instance7 verf `tically or diagonally. The plates or panelsv Amay be positioned vertically or horizontal- '2'0" formed therein which are spaced apart distances equal to their respective widths and the portion of the plate between adacent minor corrugations is also sinuous so that these minor corrugations merge together to form a contiguous sinuous configuration symmetrical in cross section about ya line midway between the outermost portions of` these minor corrugations so that this line is the neutral axis of the section.

' Suc-h a section is very resilient and has a spring like action under loads, and, furthermore, produces a very strong section for the. amount of metal used. These minor corrugations merge into the plane of the plate by means ofterminal portions of any desired formation. A plurality (two or more) of such minor corrugations 20 merge together adjacent the middle of the plate (or middle of the embossnient Vcomprising the minor and major corrugations) to forni a lesser number of relatively deep corrugations 21 with flat apices 25 which are spaced apart distances equal to their respective widths and the part 26 of the plate 2st between these major corrugations is ralso flat, thus forming a contigui-ation symmetrical in cross section about a line midway between the outermost portions of these'niajor corrugations so that this line is the neutral axis of the'section. Such La section is stronger and relatively rigid as compared with the section of the sinuous minor corrugations because more metal is positioned away from the neutral axis and the increased depth also increases the strength of the beam. By such an arrangement a corrugated metallic plate is provided which is relatively rigid adjacent the middle portion of the embossinents and relatively resilient adjacent the opposite end portions of the embossments. The secondary oppositely projecting rib or corrugation 22 A.formed by the merging of the two adjacent minor corrugations 20'is equal in width to the adjacent minor cor# rugations at 23 and decrease in width as the minor coiiugations merge together to form the major corrugation 21. y rlhese secondary oppositely projecting ribs 22 also rpreferably decrease in depthV vso that any concentrated stretch of metal is eliminated where the minor corrugations merge together. y

As the embossment increases inY depth to'- ward'its middle portion,'this secondary rib preferably decreases in depth proportioin ately so that the lengths of the centerl lines of the metal of all cross sections of the einbossmeiit are equal to each other.

l. have designed my invention for use in steel plates so that when the section modulus of any section (normal to the corrugations) is multiplied by a constant fibre stress the rresult equals the bending moment of that section for either a load concentrated' vat vthe middle of the bean'i-cori'ugations or for a load equally distributed over the beamcorrugations7 thus showing` that I have not sacrificed any required strength at the ends of the beams to obtain resiliency; in other words, by my constructionv lf obtain a very strong beam which is also resilient. rllhe major corrugations are preferably wider than the minor corrugations.

Vlhese shallow-er and deeper corrugationsA may be positioned and dimeiisioned so that the .length ofthe centerline of themetal of a cross section of the shallower corrugatioiis (see Fig. 9) is th-e ksame as the length of 'thev ISU ram-:172

`center line of the metal fof any other cross section, that is, between the terminal portions. This is a material manufacturing advantage as more evenly distributes the draw and stretch of the vmetal due to pnessing the corruga'tions in ythe plate.

Figs. 10, 1l and l2v are detail enlargements of portions oi the plate taken on lines 7 8 :and 9, respectively, oi Fig. 5 showing the flat apex; 25 :of the majo-r corrugation (Fig. 10) split or divided bythe secondary oorruga-tion 22 into two Ycontiguous -sinuous -corrugations 2O i( F ig. 12).

Figs. 13., 14 and 1,5 :are detail enlargements of a modilied form of corrugat'ion similar `to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, respectively, wherein the apex (29) `of the major corrugation is arcuate.

Figs. 16 to :2O inclusive show :a modification wherein the embossmen-ts have parallel sides.

Figs. 21 to V25 inclusive are similar to Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive except that they illius- `trate three minor corrugations merg-ing into a single major corrugation.

Figs. 26 to 30 vinclusive :show a modified lio-rm wherein the major corrugations 31 have arcuate or sin'uons :apices 30 and .the

ortion of the plate 31 between :adjacent :em- Fossments is also arcuated or sinuous.

Plates provided with a plurality of contiguous narrow corrugations possess a considerable Y amount of elasticity Vand .when str-ucl; a blow deflect readily and regain (their shape without distortion, whereas .a

plate provided with wide -at corrugations, though better able to'carry quiescent loads, has .not the resiliency of the former and is more readily vdistorted when .struck a blow.

It is, .thereto-re, desirable to design a plate that possesses great strength to withstand 4the sudden impact load blows with sufficient resiliency to resist distortion.

The particular form and advantages of l:the terminations of the corrugations illustrated in Fig. 15 are not described .or claimed `sgpecilically herein., but are described and :claimed in my Patent N o. 1,547,831 dated July 28, 1925, for corrugated wall elements.

This application is confined Ito the fcon- Istruction wherein the minor corrru'gations merge to form the major corrugations, while my :application Seri-alA No. 595,632, filed @ctober 19,1922, for corrugated metallic wall elements 'covers the construction wherein the major corrugation is'split into two or more 'minor coi'rngfations. l

This is a .division of my co-pending fap plication v'Serial No. 595,634, filed :October I`Jthe outermost `portions ol 1%), 1.922, as is also my application Serial No. 55,207, liled September 28, 1.925.

1. A metallic wall @panel for railway vcars having ,a reinforcement formed therein,.

comprising a plurality of stifiening ribs ch merge into each other to form a relalyw' or -s'tiftiiening rib :adjacent the .ceneter for' .said -reinlo-ticemeirt, the' height of said reinliorcement being greatest adjacent its center and almost .parallel ito the .i'irst mentioned ribs. f

2. A metallic plate wall element having a plurality loi: corrugations :termin-ating with-y in .said plate .that ,merge into a lesser :nunk

ber of wider and ydeeper .corrugations adjacent thev center or' said plate, the cross sectional area oit said corrugated pla-te being f-equal `anywhere between theplfanes where said .corrugations begin to terminate into the plane of said plate. i

A metalli-c plate provided with -a pilu- .rality of cori Yations spaced apart dis- .tances substai'itially equal to their width, said corrugations merging adjacent the middle of the plate into a lesse-r number of wider and deeper .corrugaftions spaced apart distances substantially equal to their width.

l4. A metallic plate provided with a plurality of corrugations Vmer-ging adj acent the middle ot the plate 'into a lesser number lof wider and `deeper `corrugations and almost parallel to the first mentioned Icorr-ugations.

5. A metallic plate 'provided with a plurality fof corrugations spaced apart dis- Corrugations merging adjacent the middle of the `plate into a lesser vnumber -oliwidcr and deeper corrugations symmetrical in cross section about aline midway between the vcorru gat'ion s.

7. A metallic pla-te provided with a plurality of cor-rugations'symmetrical in cross ysection abouta line midway between the outermost portions of the corrugations, said vcorrugations merging adjacent the middle ot the plate into a lesser number ofdeeper corrugations symmetrical in cross section about la lin-e midway between the outermostporH tions of the corrugations.

S. A metallic plate provided with a pluralityy of shallow corrugations mer-ging ar. cent the'iniddler of the plate yinto lesser number of deeper Corrugations, the length ol' the center line ofi-the metal'of a cross section of the shallower corrugations being sub- 'stan-tially equal to the length oit the center gli) Cil

4center line ot the metal ot across section ot the deeper' corrugations.

10. A metallic plate provided with a plurality oit corrugations ot constant cross section for a short distance at the center ot the plate which diverge into a greater number of shallower corrugations adjacent the edge of the plate.

11. A metallic plate provided with a plurality of corrugations merging adjacentthe middle of the plate into a lesser number ot wider and deeper corrugations, the length of the center line ot the metal of any cross section of the corrugated plate being equal to the length of t-he center line of the metal ot any other cross section.

12. A metallic plate provided with a plurality `ot corrugations merging adjacent the middle of the plate into a lesser number Vot deeper corrugations, the length ot the center line of the metal of any cross section et the corrugated plate being equal to the length ot' the center line of the metal ot any other cross section.

13. A metallic plate provided with a plurality of sinuous and contiguous corrugations, said corrugations merging adjacent the middle of the plate into a lesser number ot deeper and wider corrugations with substantially flat apices.

14. A metallic plate provided with a. plurality of sinuous and contiguous corrugations, said corrugations merging adjacent the middle of the plate into a lesser number ot deeper corrugations with substantially flat apices. i

15. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed frame members ofthe car, said plate provided with a plurality oi corrugations with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed trame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the middle ot the plate to term a lesser number of deeper corrugations.

1G. A wall for a railway car cou'iprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed trame members of the car, said plate provided with a plurality of corrugations with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed frame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the vmiddle ot the plate to term a lesser number ot wider and deeper corrugations. Y

17. A wall for a railway car comprising a 'trame members of the car, said plate provided with a plurality of corrugations spaced apart distances substantially equal to their width with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacentsaid oppositely disposed trame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the .middle oi the plate to form a lesser number ot deeper corrugations spaced apart distances substantially equal to their width.

18. A wall for a railway car' comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed trame members ot' the car, said plate provided with a plurality of corrugations spaced apart distances substantially equal to their width with their opposite ends terminating` into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed trame members, said cor.- rugations merging together' adjacent the middle ot' the plate to form a lesser number ot'wider and deeper corrugations spaced aparl distances substantially equal to their wie t i. Y

19. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositelydisposed 'frame members of the car, said .plate pr'ovided with a plurality ot` corrugations symmetrical in cross section about a line midway between the outermost portions ot the corrugations with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacent said Oppositely disposed frame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the middle of the plate to form a lesser number ot deeper corrugations, symmetricall in cross `section about a line midway between the outermost portions of the corrugations.

v2O. AV wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to opposite disposed 'rame members of the car, said plates provided with a plurality of corrugations symmetrical in cross section about a line. midway between the outermost portions ot' the corrugations with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed frame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the middle of the plate to form a lesser number of wider and deeperv corrugations symn'ietrical in cross section about a line midway between the outermost portions of the corrugations.

21. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed trame members ot' the car, said plate provided with a plurality ot corrugations with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed trame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the middle ot the plate to form a lesser number ofi-wider and deeper Acorrugations, the length of the center line of the metal of a cross section of the shallower corr'ugations being substantially equal to the length of the center line of the metal of a cross section of the deeper corrugations.

22. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed trame members of the car, said plate provided with a plurality of Vcorrugations with their' opposite ends terminating into .the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed' trame members, said corr'ugations merging together adjacent the middle oi the plate to form a lesser number oi wider and deeper corrugations which are et constant cross section for a short distance at the center ot the plate.

24.. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed trame members of the car, said plate provided with a plurality of sinuous and contiguous corrugations with their opposite ends terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed frame members,

Said corrugations merging together adjacent the middle of the plate to form a lesser number of deeper corrugations with substantially flat apices.

25. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic plate secured to oppositely disposed rame members of the car, said platey ,provided with a plurality of sinuous and contiguous` corrugations with their oppositev ends terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed trame members, said corrugations merging together adjacent the middle of the plate to form a lesser number of wider and deeper corrugations with substantially flat apices.

26. A wall for a railway car comprising a metallic'plate secured to oppositely disposed `frame members ofthe car, said plate provided with a plurality of corrugations with their opposite endsV terminating into the plate adjacent said oppositely disposed trame members, saidcorrugations merging ytogether adjacent the middle of the plate to form a lesser number of deeper corrugations, the length ot the center line. of the metal of a cross sectionof the shallower corrugations being substantially equal to the length of the center line of the metal of a cross section of the deeper corrugations.

ARTHUR E.y SMALL. 

